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Location: Sitting on a bar stool. Guinness in hand.
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Hey guys.
Anybody in the cattle or meat processing industry? I just have a question. OK so I've been go to the supermarket and have noticed for the last 6 months or so beef prices are actually down. (at least on sale that is.) Like last night I picked up steaks for $1.59 per pound on sale. And this is not a new thing. Like I said for the past 6 months or so I been picking up beef product from $1.29 to $1.99 on sale.
So is there any particular reason that beef prices on certain Items are so low?
Cheaper to dump the cattle on the market than to feed them.
And factor in that there have been various on-and-off bans of US beef (Korea and Japan) due to our sloppy testing for "Mad Cow" and all that combines to lots of beefy goodness (or not so good ) being dumped your way.
Stock up cause I can assure you it isn't going to last long when cattle stock is low and demand is the same... they dump cattle fast and drain the inventory... once inventory is low, they will have an "excuse" to pump prices high... so stock up... price manipulation has been going on for a long while... U.S. regulations help create it... keep on regulating..
I agree they are taking the cattle to market because of the high corn prices to feed. Also agree it would be wise for everybody to stock up now while the prices are lower because once the cattle going to market is lowered prices will sky rocket due to the corn prices. Just look at the prices we are paying for gas now. We hit $4 a gallon today in Indiana in my area which is north central.
Stock up cause I can assure you it isn't going to last long when cattle stock is low and demand is the same... they dump cattle fast and drain the inventory... once inventory is low, they will have an "excuse" to pump prices high... so stock up... price manipulation has been going on for a long while... U.S. regulations help create it... keep on regulating..
Why would you want to stock up on a marginal product? Sort of a case of might not be real good, but we got a lot of it, cheap. No bargain, there. Pardon the comparison, but that would be like marrying a lazy fat chick. While you might get a lot of it . ..
But you have it backwards about the cause and effect of regulations on this market. It is the lack of decent inspections (regulations) that cause the international bans on US export beef. We have outlawed the individual inspection of ill cows (so as to what? ensure we can put out bad beef, or what?). Is anti-regulation law now considered regulation? It is this irresponsible trash behavior of non-inspection and non-regulation that have caused responsible governments to ban US beef.
Man, I love all the arm-chair experts on this forum. I've noticed this too, it would be interesting to hear from someone that is actually in the industry. I can make my guesses too, but its just that.
PhilipT I agree with your post about USA inspections. But common sense tells me I should also agree with my local butcher & farmers telling me beef prices will sky rocket at some point in our near future. When my family was larger we bought a side of beef each year from a local farmer it didn't go bad in our freezer. So now that I buy that same type of beef in smaller quantities due to decreasing family size why shouldn't I stock up with today's prices for a consumable product we will be buying anyway?
For the ones that don't have the benefit of having a local butcher that is supplied local meat products they could have the meats at their box stores ground up for hamburger couldn't they if the meat cut is not high quality?
I think anything we use that can be bought "ahead" is a good use of my money don't you? When hoarding or panic starts that is when it isn't a good use taking away from others just to have more for our own self. Just a thought.
The drought in the southeast caused a lot of farmers to sell off herds last fall. The price of hay and the failed corn crop created a local disaster, where the herds couldn't be overwintered. I know some neighbors that had to sell off. The last of those cattle should be on store shelves about now, given that they are often fattened in feed lots for a while, and processing and curing takes some time. Did that affect the price? <shrug> dunno.
So far, this year looks a lot better rainwise, but those who sold off animals aren't all getting back in the business. What is increasingly popular around here are goats. Smaller animals, able to forage, and fairly self sufficient. What is odd is that none of it ends up in supermarket meat cases, which may mean a lot of direct sales to migrants.
What I find as scary as some of the other monetary and fuel cost issues is that most of the farmers I see are at or beyond retirement age, and I'm not seeing sons following in their footsteps.
I think it may soon be again profitable for small rural families to have a couple of cows for milk and meat. The price of milk is about the same as the price of gas, and pasture fed cows may soon be cash cows.
I think it may soon be again profitable for small rural families to have a couple of cows for milk and meat. The price of milk is about the same as the price of gas, and pasture fed cows may soon be cash cows.
I was thinking the same thing....it wouldn't hurt to buy a couple calves this year.
Beef Is Being Cut To Utilize All The Product Instead Of Being Ground Into Ground Beef. Ground Beef Is What Is Actually ? Beef As Long As It Is Cooked Correctly Is Low In Fat And Calories. I Suppose You Do Not Like Potatoes Either. Go Get A Frozen Product That Can Stay Frozen For Two Years And See What The Bacteria Level Would Be...OH I FORGOT I AM A JOURNEY-WOMAN MEAT CUTTER
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) being dumped your way. 
Beef Is Better Than Frozen Food That Lasts Years
